Confused
by Somewhere In Time
Summary: Starfire thought she loved Robin. But then she met Richard Grayson... RobStar or Dick Kori
1. Kori, Part I

Confused.

Summary: Starfire thought she loved Robin. But then she met Richard Grayson…

I DO NOT OWN TEEN TITANS…etc…you know the drill…

Robin was the first to leave.

"I need to sort things out," he said and left that very night. It was the day before his 20th birthday.

Starfire went next. She couldn't bear living in a house and city that held so many memories of him. Everyone saw the hurt in her eyes as she announced she would leave as well. It was only a month after Robin left. The rest of the Titans held tighter to each other, for fear one more of them would run off too.

Most people thought Starfire went back to Tamaran. But she didn't. She went to Gotham City, the place where she knew Robin had once lived, hoping she would maybe find him there.

--

Starfire alighted on the rooftop of one of the many tall buildings. It was night, yet the lights shining from the shop windows, from the streetlamps lining the roads, and from the cars' headlights lit up the city. Starfire noticed there were far more cars and far less stars.

"Help!" came a cry from the ground. Starfire immediately flew off towards the source of the sound. Two men were walking along, one with a bag slung over his shoulder. They tried to blend in with the crowd, but the shop owner was making that hard to do. Starfire shot two starbolts at each of them. They toppled over immediately. 'All the training Robin made us do truly did do the paying off,' Starfire thought grimly. She swept the bag from the robbers' midst. She turned around to return whatever was in the bag to the proper owner.

"ZLING"

Something that sounded a lot like Robin's bird-a-rang whizzed behind her. She spun around and found herself face to face with-

"Robin?" she said incredulously.

"Hi, I'm guessing you're that Starfire, right?"

"But Robin is…I…"

"You should be more careful." said Batman. "He pulled out his gun when you had your back turned."

"Thank you for the assistance and advice. But there are two Robins?"

"The first one is the one you know, but Batman needed another sidekick!" the boy said.

"We need to go." Batman said and made to walk away.

"Oh, please, will you advise me also on where to stay?" Starfire called out.

Batman stared at her, though not unkindly.

After a moment he spoke. "Go to that house and ask for Bruce Wayne." Then he disappeared into the night.

"We're gonna let her stay at our house?" said a wide-eyed Tim.

"Yes."

"Uh, you feeling okay?"

Glare.

--

Starfire stood in front of the large door. The whole building was rather intimidating. She bit her lip and pressed the doorbell. An elderly man opened the door.

"Ah, Miss Starfire. Please, come in. Your room is on the 3rd floor, second door to the right. I am the butler. You may call me Alfred."

"Thank you," Starfire said with a small smile. This Alfred made her feel relaxed. "May I inquire how you had known I would be here?"

"Master Bruce informed me of your coming."

--

Starfire flipped the switch on. The light illuminated a simple but clean room. The dark wood of the furniture contrasted pleasingly with the yellow bedcovers and pale lemon papered walls. Noticing another door to her right, she opened it to find a bathroom complete with towels and soap.

She closed the bathroom door, quite happy.

The first thing she did was empty her bag on the bed and put her clothes in the drawers and closet. Most of it was casual – why else would Starfire have gone so many times to the shopping mall? She wanted to find Robin, but she didn't want to be seen as Starfire here. There would be too much attention. And anyway…

Flashback

_Robin turned his back on the rest of the team, his backpack slung on his back. _

"_Robin…" Starfire called after him, but he didn't even look back. _

_She flew over to him and gently put a hand on his shoulder from behind. He stopped._

"_Leave me alone." His voice was so cold…_

"_Robin, I…"_

"_Just leave me alone!" He shoved her hand off so hard that she slightly staggered backwards. She stared at him with wide, frightened eyes. Without a second glance, he stepped over the threshold and was gone. After that day, she could never pass through those doors without closing her eyes tight._

Starfire brushed a lone tear from her eye. She laughed bitterly, an act that didn't suit her. Funny, she still loved him with every fiber in her body. She believed that he still loved her too. Or maybe that was just a vain hope she had. But just the day before he had held her tight and shared a kiss with her…as if he loved her…Still, sometimes she wondered if the reason he left was because of her.

Anyway, she wasn't taking any chances. She picked out a white hooded shirt with a single green leaf on the front and a pair of jeans. She looked critically into the mirror. She needed to do something with her hair, but she couldn't bear the thought of cutting it. Starfire fished around the dressing table drawer. Her eyes landed on a green scrunchie. She picked it up. Unfortunately, the logo on the corner of it was an R. She stared down at it for a moment, and then twisted it around her long hair to make a high ponytail. She bit her lip, still far from contented. Her eyes brightened and she picked up the hairbrush. She brushed her bangs flat. They did the double duty of changing her appearance and hiding her unusual eyebrows. Finally satisfied, she smiled and changed into her nightgown. She slipped under the cheery bedcovers and drifted into sleep.

--

She woke to a tapping sound.

"Miss Starfire, breakfast will be ready in ten minutes. I will come back to escort you." said a vaguely familiar voice through the wood of the door.

The mentioned girl sat up and rubbed her eyes. She glanced at the Mumbo clock she'd brought from the tower. It was already seven thirty. Starfire hurriedly put on the outfit she'd picked out the night before.

Exactly ten minutes later, Alfred knocked on the door once more.

"Miss Starfire, are you ready?"

"Yes, Alfred," she said and opened the door.

"Follow me," Alfred said and started down the stairs.

Starfire's eyes turned round as saucers as she followed him through the house. Alfred glanced over his shoulder and smiled.

"It is rather a large house," he said.

"Yes, I have never seen such a large accommodation before. It is quite cavernous."

"It's a pain taking care of it."

He opened a door through the soft sound of conversation was drifting. Starfire balked at the door looking at Alfred nervously. Alfred just gave her a reassuring smile and gestured for her to step inside.

The sound of conversation ceased suddenly as the door opened and revealed Starfire. She froze and barely registered three people sitting at the table. An awkward silence passed for longer than she wanted. The oldest looking of the three stood up and spoke, breaking the moment.

"Good morning Miss Starfire. I am Bruce Wayne. Please, take a seat."

She flashed a grateful smile and sat in the proffered chair, not noticing that the young man sitting in front of her was coughing, having inhaled a quantity of milk.

"Good morning to you all! I thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Wayne."

"It was nothing. I hope you're room was satisfactory?"

"Very much, I thank you again."

Bruce smiled at her answer and spoke again.

"This is Tim Drake," A young boy with dark hair flashed a smile at her then returned to his cereal.

"And this is Dick Grayson." Starfire turned to him, smiling, intending to say hello. The young man with long, black as night hair looked up from his plate of toast. Green eyes locked onto blue eyes, blue eyes that reminded her of the ocean; clear, deep, haunting and expressive.

"Hi." Starfire started at the voice. She knew that voice!

"Hello," she said, still scrutinizing his face with a curious expression on her face.

"They are both my adopted sons." Bruce said. Starfire looked away from Dick's face, and noticed a plate of hot toast in front of her. Thanking Alfred, she started on her breakfast, half-listening to the general conversation going around her.

"Well then, I must be going. Tim, don't be late for school." Starfire looked up at Bruce's voice.

"And Dick, you'll be Miss Starfire's escort for the duration of her stay."

He stood up to leave.

"Um, Mr. Wayne, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, if you need to mention me to others, refer to me as Kori Anders please."

His face remained unchanged as he replied, "Sure. Now, I'll be going. Tim, go grab your bag if you want a ride."

"No thanks, I'll walk."

Bruce and Alfred left the room.

"Hi, call me Tim. What should I call you?" Tim asked Starfire.

"Kori, please." Tim nodded.

"Hey, I need to go to school now, so see you later!" Tim left the room.

"So, do you want me to call you Kori too?" Dick asked.

"When we are outside of this house, yes. What do I call you?"

"Dick. Though my full name is Richard."

--

"So-o, what do you want to do?"

Dick and Kori were sitting on opposite ends of the sofa. The TV was on, but no one was really watching, and both were bored out of their minds.

"I have none of the ideas," Kori replied. "The only idea I have at the moment is that this program is the pointless and that I wish to stop watching before it 'rots my brains' as Robin always has said."

"I don't want to watch this either!" Dick declared and snapped off the TV. "Now we might do something worthwhile, or am I free for the day?"

Kori looked at Dick. "I do wish I could see the city…" she said shyly.

"Sure," shrugged Dick. "That's fine with me."

And before Kori knew it, she was riding behind Dick, someone who she had met for **ONLY A FEW HOURS** on his motorcycle. But somehow, she felt as if she had known him for a very, very long time.

--

Breathless and cold, but laughing at the same time, Dick and Kori entered the manor once more.

"Master Dick, Miss Anders, nice to see you again," said Alfred with a very arched eyebrow that was threatening to disappear into his hairline.

"Sorry we're so late, Alfred!" Dick said cheerily waving his hand to the not very amused butler as he and Kori swept up the stairs.

"Yes, I can see that," said an ever-sarcastic Alfred, glancing at the clock. It said ten minutes to ten.

"And Master Bruce wants to see you!"

--

"They've been gone long enough!" said an exasperated Tim. "We need to go on patrol!"

"A little patience never hurt. Anyway, you can go first. I need to talk to Dick, not you."

"Yeah, and miss seeing lover boy's expression while you give him a talking to? Never." Tim fiddled with the edge of his shirt, glaring at the clock. Then he brightened and snapped his fingers.

"Oh, right, you never really told me why you're letting Kori stay here."

A rather malicious grin seeped into Bruce's features.

"Dick needs to learn how to take care of his own problems."

-

-

-

Hmm…Dick's going a bit fast, isn't he??

So, how'd you like the first chapter? You can tell me by reviewing! Isn't that such a good idea?


	2. Kori, Part II

**Chapter 2**

-

-

-

-

After saying good night to Dick, she quietly closed the door to her room.

3…2…1…

"Whee!" Kori cried joyfully, spinning round and round the room, arms spread wide, like a flower in the air. She jumped onto the bed, hugging herself tight, the smile spreading so wide over her face it hurt. Unable to hold in her joy, she rolled around on her bed like a small child, not caring that the crisp sheets were getting all rumpled in her rampage.

Finally she flopped down on her back giggling to herself as she remembered the day she had spent with Dick.

But then the smile slowly faded off her face and she bit her lip, guilty. She had totally forgotten about Robin.

'_Idiot! You love Robin, do you not?'_ a voice inside her scolded. _'You cannot possibly love this Dick Grayson! You have only met for a day!'_

Kori, or rather Starfire, pulled the covers up over her head.

'_I do not know what I feel,'_ she complained to the voice.

'_So what if this Dick Grayson is nice? You have only known him from a day, while Robin has been there for you for four years! Get the grip on yourself, Starfire!'_

Starfire sniffled.

'_He is so much like him…so much that I would have thought it was the same person…_'

She drifted off to sleep, her dreams filled with waves turning into blue, blue eyes.

--

The next morning was pretty much the same. Alfred woke her at the usual hour and led her to the kitchen where Bruce, Tim and Dick were already there. Bruce announced that he would be going on a business trip, and as it was spring break, take Tim with him. Dick was to stay here with Kori. Alfred was going with Bruce as well.

"Dick, I trust you'll be a hospitable host?" Bruce said at the door.

"Of course."

"Miss Starfire, I'm sorry I have to run off like this."

"No, it is I who should be doing the apologies." Kori replied with a smile.

"Enjoy your stay, Kori!" Tim said, waving at her and starting towards the car that was now in front of the house. Starfire waved back as the car rumbled off into the distance.

They both walked inside. Dick gave her a small smile as he closed the door. He noticed her curiosity filled eyes look around the house.

"So, want a tour of this place?"

--

"And this is the library." Dick opened a large carved wooden door to reveal a very large room with all the walls hidden behind books. There were more shelves here and there about the room, partly concealing the many small tables dotted here and there.

Kori's already larger-than-average eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as she surveyed the room. Dick chuckled at her amazement.

"Surprised?"

Kori turned her sparkling eyes to Dick who almost fainted at her gaze. Almost, but not quite.

"I have never seen so many books!"

"Well, it helps being a multi-millionaire with too much room in his own house."

"Raven will be very much envious of this place," Kori said in awe. She stepped inside, her footsteps echoing in the quiet room.

"Raven?" Dick asked, curiosity sparking in his voice. Kori didn't answer and merely resumed to walk around.

"What kind of book do you like?" Dick asked instead.

Kori stopped, and pondered her choices, biting her lower lip just a little.

"Hmm. I like mostly everything, but I prefer fairy tales, and stories with happy endings, and history books!" she said with a smile.

"Uhh, interesting choice!" Dick said, and then looked around. He went to the shelf right behind him and picked out a volume labeled 'The Secret Garden'.

At Kori's questioning look, Dick said, "It's a good book, one of my favorites. It's not exactly a fairy tale, but I think you'll like it."

Kori accepted the book with both hands. "Thank you."

Dick glanced at his watch. "Lunch?"

--

The two sat around a box of pepperoni pizza. There was a bottle of mustard on the table as Kori had confessed her love of the yellow liquid to Dick.

"Beastboy would have had the freaking out if he saw this," Starfire said as she bit the mustard covered piece of pizza.

"Why?" Dick asked, picking up his third piece.

Kori smiled, showing a row of perfect white teeth.

"Beastboy does not eat meat. That is called vegetarian, yes?" Dick nodded.

"Can I ask why?"

"It is because he has turned into most of the animals that produce meat," Kori explained.

"Ah."

For quite a while the only sound that could be heard was the sound of pizza being consumed at a very fast rate.

--

"A piano!" Kori ran to the big black grand piano in the middle of the otherwise empty room.

"Can you play?" Dick asked as the girl sat on the piano chair, tracing the keys with one long finger. Kori shook her head.

"Can you?"

Dick replied with a mysterious grin. "Scoot over and I'll show you."

Kori did as he asked, watching his face in anticipation. Dick closed his eyes, praying he'd get this right, and placed his hands on the keys of the piano. Taking a deep breath, he started playing. It was Fantasy-Impromptu by Chopin, but Kori didn't know that. All she knew is that the song flowed about her, through her, into her. All she knew was that whatever was being played, it was great.

The song faded. Kori was starry-eyed and wished it could go on longer. Dick was nervous the moment the song stopped, thinking of a hundred ways he could have played it better, and the mistakes he made.

He looked over at Kori, sitting next to him and relaxed at the joyful expression she had on her face. So he hadn't messed it up too bad.

"Like it?" he said.

"That was wonderful, Robin!" Kori said, not realizing Dick's suddenly panicky expression.

"Uh, what did you call me?" he said, managing to look questioning than unnerved.

"Hmm? What do you –" She clapped her hands to her mouth, looking embarrassed.

"I am sorry," she said, blushing at her mistake. "I had not intended, I just…I was not thinking." she said, flustered.

"Hey, it's okay. I didn't mean to make you feel bad." Dick said, putting a hand on her shoulder, but realizing what he was doing, drew his hand away as if burned.

"I had always thought Robin would be good at the playing of the piano," Kori mused.

"What's this Robin like?" Dick asked. It was as if he had turned on a switch. If she was bright before, now she was positively glowing.

"He is the leader of our team, the Teen Titans," she began. "Though, only three are teens now." Kori added as an afterthought.

"He is a very wonderful leader. Many times we have been victorious only because he was there. He is very caring to us all, sometimes a little too much. He would sacrifice himself for the lives of us. Even when he buries himself in his work, I know it is because he worries about the well being of the team." Kori's eyes dimmed a little after her words, remembering again how he left the team, left her.

"And you're hopelessly in love with him and thinks he's a wonderful kisser." finished Dick with a smirk.

Kori's eyes widened in surprise. "How - ?"

Dick's smirk grew bigger. "I watch the news, that's how. Tokyo is a very populated place, Kori."

"Still, that was four years ago!"

"It was a big issue at the time," Dick shrugged. Kori eyed him with a strange light in her eyes. Come to think of it, that smile was just like the one Robin always gave her. How she wished she could have seen his eyes!

"You coming?" Dick was already at the door.

"Yes," Kori replied uncertainly. But that uncertainty was not about going, but about the person who had just spoken to her.

-

-

-

-

So, Dick is…?

Obvious to everyone but Starfire!


	3. Kori, Part III

Already three weeks had passed, and Kori found herself falling – fast. She thoroughly enjoyed every moment she spent with Dick, but in the privacy of her own room, she didn't know what to feel. She knew these feelings for Dick shouldn't be felt. Every night guilt for her feelings, sorrow that Robin wasn't with her, anger that he had left in the first place swept over her, but they were all forgotten the next morning when she gazed into those perfect eyes.

As Dick showed her his world, every bit, day by day, Kori told him of hers, until it was almost as if he had been with her, and she him, all this time.

The book Dick had given her had already been read over and over. But here she was, reading it again on the same sofa she and Dick had sat on the first day they had met. Next to her, Dick was doing the crossword of the day in the newspaper. Kori peeked over the book to steal a glance at him. He had his tongue between his teeth and frowning slightly. Kori gave a muffled giggle that didn't escape Dick's sensitive hearing.

"What?" he said with a slightly annoyed expression.

Kori giggled again, a bit more audibly this time. "Stuck?"

Dick grunted but smiled. "Think you could help me?"

"Let me see." Kori moved over to Dick's side of the couch and looked at the puzzle.

"Can you not just see the answers?" she said after a moment's silence while she looked hard at the small squares on the page.

"What's the fun it that?" Dick said with a slight grin on his face.

"What is the fun in this?" Kori said crossly, jabbing a finger at the paper.

An hour later, Kori and Dick found themselves in front of an open laptop.

"What in blazes is a butter slice?" Dick roared, albeit, not angrily.

"Perhaps slice of butter?" smirked Kori.

"KO-RI!"

"Yes?" she asked, widening those peridot green eyes innocently.

Dick shook his head as he looked away, a smile dancing on his lips.

Another hour later Kori danced around the room, holding the finished paper in both hands.

"Look who's happy," Dick said. Most people would have sobered up immediately at this kind of comment. But not Kori. The gleefulness remained on her features. Dick chuckled at her lightheartedness.

"Who would have thought Cate Blanchett played Queen Elizabeth the first?" Dick mused.

"I did guess it, Richard Grayson," Kori said, with her hands on her hips.

"Yeah, yeah," he replied. Kori laughed at his half annoyed, half amused expression, and Dick soon joined her laughter. And Wayne Manor rang with the sound of their laughter.

--

A few days later Dick and Kori were walking side by side along the busy streets of Gotham City, having just had dinner at a nearby restaurant. They were both talking animatedly, looking to all the world like a couple going home after a dinner date. They were so immersed in their small talk that they found themselves passing through a particularly dingy part of town that Dick had previously avoided at all costs.

"Oh no." Dick said, noticing where they were a little too late.

"What is it?" Kori said, her voice indicating that she wasn't very worried.

"We shouldn't be here…" Dick said nervously, looking around.

"What is it?" Kori asked again, but this time in a different tone than before. Instead of an answer Dick pulled her closer to him. Kori gasped a little, since Dick had never physically touched her before now. But right now Dick had a lot more on his mind than the blush that was creeping over both of their cheeks.

"What, are you afraid that you cannot protect me?" Kori asked cheekily, though her heart was racing fast, whether from fear or from Dick's touch, or both, she did not know.

Then Dick heard the thing he was afraid of from the moment he noticed they were here.

"Who have we got here?"

From the shadows, three figures emerged. Just one look at them, and Kori knew whom, or rather, what, they were.

"Gangsters," she breathed. Dick wrapped an arm around her and held her even tighter. He wished he'd worn his sunglasses.

"Richard Grayson, how nice of you to drop by." They approached from all sides. And as if that had been the signal, Kori Anders and Dick Grayson began fighting, two on three.

Kori soon finished off one and was locked in a heated combat with the leader. Just as Dick the one he'd been fighting fell to the ground unconscious, he heard a shriek from behind.

"KORI!"

With one swift motion, he picked up a trash can lid and flung it towards the only one standing. A resounding clang told him it had found its mark.

"You do realize I could have taken care of him myself, yes?" came Kori's voice. Dick looked up to see that she had lit up a starbolt as if to illustrate the point.

Suddenly her expression became serious and she threw the pulsating green orb at him.

"Hey!" Dick said as it missed him by inches. "What –" he started angrily, but stopped short as he heard something fall with a thump behind him. He spun around.

There on the littered ground behind him was one of the gang holding a razor in his right hand, clearly knocked out.

"You should be more careful," Kori said smugly. "Batman informed me so once."

"You met Batman?"

Kori nodded. "The day I came to Gotham, I saw a store being robbed. Most obviously I attempted to stop them. I succeeded, but as a retrieved the stolen artifacts from them and turned around one pulled a gun out. Batman stopped his attempt with an object shaped like a bat."

"Yeah, you should have been more careful." Dick looked around at the three fallen thugs.

"I guess we should leave now?"

--

Short, scattered and full of meaningless fluff…

I have no idea where this is going…

Crossword from the January 22nd 2008 edition of the International Herald Tribune.

One of the answers was Daily Planet…odd coincidence? Weird.

Daily Planet is the newspaper publisher in Metropolis that Superman (or in other words, Clark Kent) works for.

And Metropolis is right next to Gotham.


	4. Kori, Part IV

The doorbell rang just as Kori finished un-piling the breakfast dishes from the dishwasher. Dick was doing something or other on the computer in the living room with his earphones plugged in, so consequently he didn't hear the ringing door. It wasn't her house, but the persistent ringing was getting on Kori's nerves, so she opened the door. She reasoned that if the person knew how to get inside the grounds, he or she must be accustomed to this place.

Kori opened the door, keeping the chain on just in case. Outside in the warm spring sun was a pretty young woman with fiery red hair down to her shoulder blades.

"Hi, is Dick inside?" she asked with a smile. Seeing the way she wasn't at all surprised, Kori wondered if this girl had known she was here.

"Yes, he is," Kori answered, wondering all the while who this mysterious person was.

"Great! Can you tell him that Barbara's here?"

Kori just nodded and turned her head to Dick's direction.

"Richard Grayson!" she yelled from the door.

Dick unplugged his ears. "What?" he asked.

"Someone with the name Barbara is here requesting your company."

Dick brightened as he walked to the half-open door.

"Hey Barbara, glad you could come." He opened the door fully so that she could enter.

"You invited her?" Kori asked feeling an unwonted pang of jealousy.

"Yeah, I wanted you to meet her, so I invited her for lunch and a movie afterwards."

Dick proceeded with the introductions. "Kori, this is Barbara Gordon, the commissioner's daughter."

"I wish everyone would stop calling me that," Barbara said mildly.

Ignoring this last remark Dick said, "She's one of my old friends. Barbara, this is Kori Anders. She's staying at my place for a while."

"Nice to meet you," both girls said as they shook hands.

Dick checked his watch. "It's already twelve thirty. Want to have lunch now?"

"Sure," Barbara said.

"That sounds wonderful! I shall go and prepare!" Kori said, as she was wearing a pair of slacks and a loose t-shirt.

When she had finished getting dressed in jeans and a sky blue blouse, Dick and Barbara were talking amicably. Without even meaning to, Kori leaned forward and listened in on what they were saying. They were talking about when they were young, and Kori couldn't understand any of it. She felt another pang of jealousy. Kori shook her head, not understanding why she felt this way.

All through lunch Dick and Barbara talked about people and places she had never heard about before. Mostly it was about someone at school. Kori, having never gone to a school before, had no idea what they were talking about. Even in the movies, Dick sat next to Barbara.

Kori couldn't wait for Barbara to leave. She seemed nice enough, but somehow she felt rather possessive towards Dick.

_Koriand'r! Why are you feeling the jealous? He is not Robin! He is not your boyfriend. He has no ties to you! _she shouted to herself.

But she couldn't deny that she was extremely glad to see her go later in the day.

--

The plates tinkled merrily as the two youth stood side by side, washing the dishes from their lunch, tacos. They had used the usual fillings-beef, lettuce, cheese, and tomato-but also mustard, pepperoni, chocolate, whipped cream and pickles. Dick had watched in fascinated disgust as Kori placed a generous helping of everything on the taco shell and devoured it with a smile.

"Want to try?" she had asked smiling sweetly. "It is quite delicious."

Dick had hurriedly shaken his head and had quickly bitten into his own. But he had to admit, pickles weren't all that bad.

"Hey Kori," Dick said.

"Hmm?" Kori turned to look at him. Both of them had been wearing rubber gloves, but both pairs had been abandoned in favor of bare hands.

"You've got soap on your cheek." Dick said over the loud sound of the running water. Kori's hand started towards her face when Dick's caught it.

"Let me," he said. One hand reached for her face when –

"AHH!!"

The front of Kori's bangs were dripping wet. Dick was laughing his head off beside a speechless Kori. But the laughter soon stopped as Dick caught sight of Kori's expression.

"Kori, are you –"

He was stopped mid-sentence by a tidal wave of soapy water attacking his face. It was Kori's turn to laugh as he spluttered incoherently. And that was the signal for a full-out water fight.

Both of them were totally soaked through when the sound of a phone ringing reached their ears.

"I shall receive the call!" Kori told Dick as she dried her hands on a towel and walked toward the phone, leaving little puddles in her wake.

"Hello, Wayne residence!" she said cheerily into the phone.

"Kori? This is Bruce." came a familiar voice.

"Bruce, long time no see!"

"Actually, long time no hear," said Bruce with a quiet chuckle.

"I must ask, how are you?"

"Fine, thank you. Enjoying yourself?"

"I am sorry that I am staying for such a prolonged length of time."

"Don't be. Stay as long as you like. I think I need to tend to some more business, so I won't be home for a bit more. Can you tell that to Dick?"

"Of course."

"Oh, did Dick show you the training room?"

"No, I was unaware of such a room."

"Why don't you ask Dick to train with you?"

"But I may hurt him."

"Oh, you'd be surprised at how good Dick is."

"If you insist."

"Sorry, but I need to hang up right now. I'll contact you later."

"Good bye for now!"

Kori walked back to the kitchen to finish the undone dishes, doubling the number of puddles as she went.

--

When they finally got to work and finished the dishes, it was already well into the afternoon. Being soapy and wet, they went to their rooms to wash up. When the met up in the living room, Kori brought the subject up.

"Dick, Bruce has asked for you to train with me. Do you agree with the idea?" she asked tentatively. Dick just looked at her in surprise.

"I do think it would be enjoyable," she said, looking down and tapping her index fingers together, "I _have_ missed a doing a good workout."

Hesitation flashed across Dick's face, but he smiled and said, "I'd like it as well."

He walked over to a door she hadn't noticed before.

"Ladies first," he said. Kori stepped over the threshold to see a large room furnished like the training room in the Tower.

"And you did not show me this before because?"

Dick shrugged. "No reason. Just forgot."

"Shall we begin?"

"No superpowers."

Then began a series of blocking and hitting. Sweat rolled down their cheeks as the seconds turned to minutes, and the minutes into hours. Neither could gain much ground against the other. Time seemed immaterial as the whole world was made of each successive punch.

Both of them stood, panting and drenched, staring at each other, looking for a weakness. They circled around the arena, their eyes always on the other. Then both jumped on each other, knowing instinctively that this would be the last strike. After a tangled haze of shouts tackles and wrestling, Kori had Dick pinned down underneath her.

The sounds of their breathing echoed loudly in the room as Kori and Dick looked at each other.

"I surrender," he managed to choke out, still out of breath from the long fight.

Kori's eyes widened.

_FLASHBACK_

"_I surrender," Robin said, all out of breath. Starfire grinned though she was out of breath as well._

"_I did tell you that I would win, Robin." Starfire said, though knowing full well she had won just barely._

"_Ha, I was going easy on you," Robin said._

"_Is that so?"_

_Both of their chests were rising and falling heavily. They looked at each other and before they knew it, the distance between them became nonexistent as they locked each other's lips in a passionate kiss._

'No, it cannot be. It is a mere coincidence.' Kori told herself firmly.

"Kori?" Dick's voice brought her back to earth. She stood up and held out her hand to help him up.

"You were more of a challenge then I had expected, Dick," she said with a small smile.

"You're the one that won, but thanks for the compliment." Dick said. He looked down at himself and grimaced. "I need a shower."

Kori laughed. "Both of us need it."

--

"Kori! Hurry up!"

"Coming!" Kori draped a towel over her shoulder and trooped downstairs to the kitchen. What was Dick so worked up about?

She opened the door to see the table covered with various ingredients. Eggs, sugar, flour, milk…

"Dick, what are you up to now?" Kori said, putting her hands on her hips, looking like a mother who saw his son making a mess in his room.

Dick smiled. "Finally! To answer your question, Kori, _you_ were the one who wanted to know how they're made."

"Oh, yes," she remembered.

Dick shook a piece of paper in the air. "Now, this is Alfred's recipe for the best chocolate chip cookies in the _world_. Trust me on this one."

He laid it out on the table. "All we have to do is follow these instructions."

"Dick! You are spilling the flour everywhere!"

"Kori! Three cups, not five!"

"Richard Grayson, I have already done that step! Pay attention!"

"AHH! Kori, the milk!"

"Do _not_ tell me you forgot to pre-heat the oven of cooking!"

"Careful, careful…"

In the end, they were covered in flour, and the kitchen looked like a bomb had landed in it. But both were smiling triumphantly as they stirred the cookie batter. Already one pan was covered in little circles of batter and was baking in the oven.

Kori stuck a finger in the batter and placed it in her mouth. "Mmm, wondrous!"

Dick groaned. "Oh, Kori, not the cookie dough."

Kori grinned mischievously and swiped another finger in the mix.

"Here, have some for yourself." She placed her dough-covered finger on Dick's lips. He licked the dough off.

"You're right, it's delicious," he said. Kori suddenly realized how close they were. But as if they were attracted by some strong force, both of their faces leaned towards each other until their lips touched.

For the first long moment, Kori savored the taste, the touch, the scent and the rush of emotion. It was as if the logical part of her brain had shut down, leaving only the raw emotions to take control. She leaned in for more.

Then something clicked in her brain. She was kissing Dick Grayson. He was not Robin, not her boyfriend. But wait…this taste, this touch, this scent was Robin's!

She drew away.

"Robin…" she breathed.

"Kori, what – "

"Do not lie anymore, Robin!" she shouted, angry tears rolling down her cheeks. Outside, thunder clapped loudly, and the windows were illuminated briefly in white light. The pieces were falling into place. The reason she felt so close to him, the dead-on accuracy, the excellent fighting skills, the jealousy, the familiar voice.

She ran out into the pouring rain outside.

"STARFIRE!"

-

-

-

The story isn't over yet…


	5. Dick, Part I

"I need to sort things out."

Those were the only words Robin left his teammates to explain his departure.

The dark-haired young man sitting at the airport terminal sighed and ran his hand through his semi-long hair. He glanced down at the ticket in his un-gloved hand through dark shades that hid his eyes. It read: 'Grayson/Richard. To: Gotham. From: Los Angeles'.

"Passengers to Gotham please approach Gate 40. Your flight will be boarding shortly."

Robin stood up, pulling his black travel bag behind him, and got in line with the other tired-looking people he strived to protect every day. Now, he was just one of them. He bit his lip. All his life there were moments he wished he was an average teenager with average parents and siblings, but now that he was just another face in the crowd, he finds he doesn't like it. He can think of a dozen things that could be happening in Jump City right now that needs his attention and he nearly bolts for the door. Nearly. Not quite.

"Your passport and ticket please?"

Robin handed the flight attendant the two items. Upon reading the name on both his passport and ticket, the woman brightened.

"Excuse me, are you _the_ Dick Grayson?" she asked interestedly.

"Thank you." Dick said hurriedly and snatched his things back. He did _not_ want fangirl attention. Not today.

--

"Would you like anything to drink?" came a voice from the blue.

"Huh? Oh, just…just orange juice please." Dick said, startled out of his dull staring-at-nothing.

As the flight attendant handed him the orange drink, Dick looked up at her and noticed that her nametag read 'Cory Wendell'.

_FLASHBACK_

"_Starfire, I've always wondered…"_

"_Wondered what, boyfriend Robin?"_

_Robin looked into round emerald eyes._

"_When we first met, and I asked you your name, you said it would be star fire in my language. How do you say it in Tamaranian?"_

_Starfire blushed slightly, and Robin thought it made her look like a rosebud too shy to bloom – in other words, beautiful beyond all compare, however sappy that may sound. He always thought rosebuds were more attractive than ones in full bloom._

"_Koriand'r. That is my name." Starfire replied after a slight pause._

"_Koriand'r…" Robin said, letting the word roll around on his tongue. "It's a pretty name." _

"_You think so?"_

_Robin nodded and smiled. They sat together in silence for a moment._

_Then something occurred to Robin._

"_Whenever you need to use an alias - that's a different name you use when you don't want too much attention - use Kori Anders."_

Dick shook his head violently after the flight attendant had gone down the aisle, as if to shake something off him. He was still wearing sunglasses; incidentally, the one he had swiped off that thug back in Tokyo four years ago. When he and Star had really "gotten together". When they first kissed. He didn't think the one she had used to learn English counted as a kiss.

Dick resumed staring out the small oval window of the plane, not really seeing the sky and the clouds it revealed.

_FLASHBACK_

"_Just leave me alone!" Robin shouted and shoved her tentative hand off his shoulder, hard. He could feel her wide eyes on his back as he willed himself to walk away without looking back, without saying sorry._

_Yet in his heart, he was already saying three words over and over again._

'_I'm sorry Star.'_

Dick knew he would regret those words he had said to her to his dying day, but he had needed her to hate him, however much it hurt both of their hearts. He knew that otherwise, she would follow him to the ends of the galaxy to find him.

He knew a lot of things, but he didn't know how to explain his leaving to her.

He gave a giant sigh. Even he didn't really understand the reasoning behind his departure. All he really knew was that he needed time on his own, time he wouldn't find in the tower. Maybe it was because he was going to be twenty. Maybe it was just waiting to happen for a long time.

How do you explain to your girlfriend that the reason for your leaving is because of her and not because of her at the same time? Dick couldn't find the way so he just let her hate him, thinking that it was for the best. He was always doing that - hurting her and telling him that it was for the best.

What had Batman always told him? Dating within the team always leads to disaster. If your enemies knew you had someone special they wouldn't rest until they'd gotten to you through her. It wasn't as if Robin usually cared what Batman said. He'd already broken both things his adoptive father had told him, and proved him wrong. It hadn't lead to disaster; it had been a road leading to sweet, pure heaven.

But now he was an adult. He knew that dating had to end someday. Either by breaking up, or taking that final step. He loved Starfire too much to do the former, and he was too scared to do the latter. To be exact, he was afraid _for_ her. All the things that could happen to her that would be his fault haunted his dreams, Slade first on his list of villains that would use her. He wasn't ever afraid about what would happen to him but knew he couldn't bear it if she got hurt because of him. He'd rather die.

So he had ran out of the tower, like the stupid coward he was.

He knew that going back to Gotham might not be the best choice. He still wasn't on speaking terms with Bruce, though he knew that since he was the one who actually started the fight, he should be the one to apologize. He _had_ punched him and threw his mask at him before storming out of the house and Bruce's life. But Alfred had convinced him that he should return to his home if he was to go anywhere.

At least this way he wouldn't have to use his credit card; because he was sure Cyborg would be able to track him down if he did.

"We have arrived at Gotham City. Welcome."

--

I know I said Robin had a backpack in the first chapter. This is how the story goes; he bought a suitcase on the way to the airport and stuffed his backpack inside it, because it would have been hard for Dick to explain why he had a bright red backpack with an R on it…that looked a _lot_ like Robin's. And Dick isn't exactly in the mood to explain anything at the moment.


	6. Dick, Part II

Now, for the long awaited next chapter...and many apologies and thanks to RobinxStarfire101 who PMd me to encourage me! Thank you all reviewers, signed and anonymous.

Thank you all readers who spared their time to read this fanfiction.

* * *

Bruce accepted him without a word, not even a frown. He just looked as expressionless as usual. Dick was surprised; he had expected cold disapproval from his adoptive father. He still wasn't really talking to him, just short snippets of ordinary talk. 

After a few weeks, Bruce leaned forward on the dinner table with a determined expression on his face. Dick eyed him with apprehension and braced himself for whatever was coming. Tim, who was a new addition to the family, observed them both with quiet amusement.

"Dick. We need to talk."

"What about?"

Bruce stared straight into his eyes.

"About why you came here."

Dick looked away.

"It isn't your concern."

Bruce continued to look intently at him, and Dick felt like they were burning into his white shirt.

"Yes it is." Tim looked at Dick, awaiting his answer.

"What do you care?!" Dick finally burst out, barely keeping his voice at a conversational level. Tim's head snapped towards Bruce this time.

"It _is_ my concern when my son just leaves his team hanging. It's my concern when he throws responsibility out the window and hides from the world. It's my concern when he's not acting like himself and moping around the house." Bruce said quietly.

Dick looked at the toes of his red woolen slippers, already ashamed of his outburst. But he couldn't bring himself to say sorry. Instead, he looked up again, determined to explain himself this time.

"I…I…" he stammered. It just occurred to him that Bruce never approved of dating within the team. He never approved of dating, period. He would probably say something like "I told you so". Dick steeled himself to open his mouth again. He _would_ explain it. He would _not_ back down this time.

"I love Starfire." he said. "I love her more than anything in the world."

Bruce didn't say anything.

Dick drew a breath and plowed on.

"But I realized we couldn't date forever. We needed to back down or step up."

He was suddenly aware that he was observing the toes of his shoes again. But his voice was still talking.

"All the things that every villain I'd ever fought might do to her haunted my every dream. Your warnings that they would use her to 'get to me' rang in my ears every single fight."

Dick paused for a moment and fiddled with the edge of his shirt.

"I couldn't stand it. I'd give my life for her, and I know she'd do the same for me. But I can't bear to see her getting hurt…getting hurt because of _me_. But I can't break off this relationship, Bruce," he looked up to meet light blue eyes, "I can't. I love her too much."

Dick gave a wry smile. "And don't tell me it's a passing fancy, Bruce. I've lived with her for, what, four years now."

Bruce's expression did not change to disgust or disdain or disapproval. It was still filled with warmth, though quite unreadable to those who hadn't known him for a long time.

"I see." was the only words he said.

Bruce stood up and started to clear the table. Tim quickly got up to help him. And both left Dick sitting there, mulling his problems over in his brain.

A few days later, Bruce met Starfire in the streets of Gotham.

--

Bruce had told Dick that a guest was staying at Wayne Manor. Knowing that many, many people came and went in the large house, he didn't think much of it. He just ate his breakfast silently, like he did every day.

Just as he took his milk glass to his lips, the door opened, and a ruby-haired girl stepped shyly inside. He froze. It was _her_.

Predictably, he started coughing as the milk went down the wrong way. Tim thumped him on the back, grinning mischievously. Dick didn't need to hear Bruce say her name. He knew exactly who she was; he would have recognized her even if she shaved off her hair and wore brown contacts. It was his Starfire, searching the cold, dark streets of Gotham to find him, just as he had feared she might.

"This is Tim Drake," he heard Bruce say and looked up to see Tim give a little smile and resume shoveling in his cereal. The boy really needed to slow down when eating…wait, what was he thinking! _Starfire_ is here! What was he going to do?

He panicked a little when he heard Bruce say,

"And this is Dick Grayson."

He gulped.

"Hi," he said, hoping against hope that she wouldn't recognize his voice.

"Hello," the vision of loveliness spoke to him, looking at him with a queer expression on her face. Dick felt his heart stop.

_Please don't let her recognize me please don't let her recognize me please don't let her recognize me please don't let her recognize me…_ he prayed to whatever God existed in this universe.

"They are both my adopted sons." came Bruce's voice and Starfire looked away. Dick visibly relaxed, letting out the breath he didn't even realize he had been holding. Tim sniggered into his cereal, and Dick held in the desire to whack him on the head with something very hard.

_She's never seen me without a mask,_ he realized.

His mind was racing. What was she doing here? What should he do? Should he go? Should he just admit to her right now that he was sorry and that he was Robin? Should he just leave the country, go to…maybe Europe?

"And Dick, you'll be Miss Starfire's escort for the duration of her stay." Bruce said, sending a meaningful glance his way. Dick wanted to glare, but he couldn't do so in front of his girl (even if she didn't know who he was), in case it might insult her. He could only fume inside as he watched Bruce's all-knowing, satisfied smile. Bruce stood up to leave when Starfire spoke.

"Um, Mr. Wayne, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, if you need to mention me to others, refer to me as Kori Anders please."

_The alias I made for her,_ Dick thought with a hint of unexplainable sadness. _Why would she want to use an alias?_

"Sure. Now, I'll be going. Tim, go grab your bag if you want a ride." Bruce said.

"No thanks, I'll walk."

Bruce and Alfred left the room.

"Hi, call me Tim. What should I call you?" Tim asked Starfire.

"Kori, please." Tim nodded.

"Hey, I need to go to school now, so see you later!"

Tim left the room, but not before he gave Dick a sidelong look and a thumbs-up underneath the table. Dick seethed inside but as his eyes turned to Starfire, all bad feelings melted away like snow in the summer sun.

"So, do you want me to call you Kori too?" Dick asked, chancing a smile.

"When we are outside of this house, yes. What do I call you?"

"Dick. Though my full name is Richard." he said.

--

Admittedly, he had a good time with Starfire.

_No, Kori,_ he corrected himself. _Kori Anders._

The words still tasted sweet on his tongue as he said it.

He felt bad for flirting with her like that, when she didn't even know who he was. But he couldn't help but feel happy with her, with her arms around his waist while they zoomed around Gotham on his motorcycle. He went faster just to feel her arms tighten around him and hear her small shriek of surprise.

He'd always wanted to show her where he'd grown up as a child. And now, he could; as Dick Grayson the ordinary person, not Robin the Boy Wonder. Who gave him that weird title, anyway?

--

They entered Wayne Manor, both with pinched noses and ears from the unforgiving wind, but both giggling like lunatics.

"Master Dick, Miss Anders, nice to see you again," said Alfred with that look he used to give Dick whenever he disapproved of something. And that was almost every day. But nothing could dampen Dick's spirits today.

"Sorry we're so late, Alfred!" he said with a wide smile, but the butler didn't change his expression.

"Yes, I can see that," Alfred said sarcastically, glancing at the clock that said ten minutes to ten.

As Dick climbed the stairs with Kori, he heard Alfred add,

"And Master Bruce wants to see you!"

Oops.

--

--

I do apologize for the very late update!!

It was lunar new years, you see, which is a very highly celebrated holiday here in Korea, and there were too many relatives we only see once a year and then there was the dog at my aunt's house and….

Well…you get the picture: )


	7. Dick, Part III

Chapter 7

Dick Part III

-

-

-

_I showed her the inside of Wayne Manor today._

_We were both bored, and I asked her what she would want to do. I really didn't know. Back home, funny that I think of Jump as home now, she'd want to hang out with Raven, or have some together time with the team, or just talk with me. I should probably include taking care of Silkie if he was still alive._

_But here, I had no clue. She didn't know who I was, the team was back in Jump, and our favorite pizza place is across the continent. _

_She wanted to see the rest of the Manor._

_I guess I should have known that. She's always curious about the most ordinary things. Everything she sees she needs to know how it's made, how it's done and why it's there. Like the last time she asked me about glasses. I really had no idea who made it, how they got this idea, and who was the first one to wear one. They were only part of her questions. I actually looked it up in the encyclopedia and the Internet before I could answer half._

_She was really excited about every place I showed her. To me everything was rather ordinary, as Bruce hadn't really changed the furniture after I left. But seeing these through her eyes, I could see why she was fascinated with the crystal wine glasses all lined up in a cupboard._

_When I passed the room with the hidden entrance to the Batcave, I actually toyed with the notion of "accidentally" showing her the way._

_She was really taken with the library. I knew she liked reading; she always has, though not many realize it. I knew what she preferred, but I asked her all the same what she liked to read, because Dick wouldn't know such things._

_I gave her "The Secret Garden" for her to read. It had always been one of those books you don't tire of reading for me, and I thought she'd like it. I hope she does…_

_When I played the piano for her, I wished I'd paid more attention to my lessons, obviously because I wanted to be perfect for her. To my relief, she seemed to really enjoy what I had played. _

_But then, she called me Robin._

_I really thought she had me then. But I managed to keep my cool. She hadn't found out my identity, it was mere mistake that she called me that._

_It's hard to explain what I felt then. A little disappointed that she didn't realize who I was yet, a little relived that she hadn't found out who I was. Maybe I was a little bit glad I could be Dick Grayson for a little longer. Because I was never sure if she would like that part of me, and now I could… find out, I mean._

Dick closed his laptop after saving his last journal entry and changing his password for good measure. He was in a big mess, he knew that much. But he didn't know how to clean it up…or maybe he didn't want to.

--

It had been quite some time since Kori had been living with him. Bruce still hadn't come back from his "trip" which he was very sure was faked, or planned out to deliberately leave him alone with her.

Dick threw his pillow across the room in frustration. The unfortunate object hit the closet door and flopped limply on the floor. Heaving a sigh, Dick got up to pick up the pillow and placed it back on his bed.

He was disgusted at himself. And Bruce for leaving him all alone in the house with Kori. What had he said the day before he left?

_You need to learn to take care of your own problems, he said. Ri-ight, like leaving me here with only Kori to keep me company is _really_ going to help solve my problems. Not that I don't like it…_

Just then his cell phone rang loudly. The call was from…

"Bruce?"

"Dick. I think I'll need to stay here longer than planned. Would you please go to Tim's school tomorrow and inform them of his prolonged departure? I've already sent the files you need to your e-mail."

Dick rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

"I'll take that as a yes. Well then, good bye."

"Good bye."

Dick flipped the phone shut and stowed it away in the pocket of his jeans that was hanging over the back of his chair. He climbed into his bed and willed himself to sleep.

--

"Good morning!" chirped Kori, her face bright with the anticipation of a new day.

"Good morning…" mumbled Dick as he poured himself some cereal.

_I'm getting lazy,_ he thought. _I'm tired though I went to bed at one in the morning!_

He still didn't understand how she could be so happy all the time. But he did know that her happiness was infectious. Sure enough, he was talking animatedly after a few spoons of breakfast.

"Um, Kori, I need to go somewhere today." he said, as he placed the dishes in the sink.

"Where? Please tell me." Kori said with curiosity.

Dick spoke over the sound of running water. "Tim's school."

Kori placed her own dishes next to his. "May I ask why?"

"Bruce is staying longer than planned."

"May I come with you? I have never seen the inside of a school and I am most curious." she said with a little tilt of her head.

"Sure, why not?" he shrugged.

--

Dick walked inside the school, more than a little self-conscious. It had been years since he had darkened the doorstep of any school. The corridors seemed strangely empty as their footsteps echoed loudly. Though Dick perfectly knew it was merely because the students were in class, it gave him an eerie feeling inside.

The florescent lights glared fiercely on the two people, as if they knew they were out of place here and looked at their reflections on the polished tile floor. If Dick was nervous, Kori was the opposite. She peeked into every classroom window she passed, asking what subject they were learning and the course descriptions.

She was especially excited when they passed the science lab.

"What are those things the students are looking into?" she asked him, leaning her head sideways to get a better look. Dick glanced through the window.

"Microscopes," he replied.

"What are they used for?" she asked as they walked along the corridor again.

"They can magnify things so that we can see things we normally can't with our naked eye," he explained. He almost said, _like the screen Cyborg has in the Med Bay,_ but he caught himself before the words actually got out of his mouth.

He tugged at her arm as Kori peeked interestedly into yet another window. "Come on, we'll never get to the principal's office at this rate."

They walked silently, side by side.

"I think school will be quite enjoyable," Kori mused out loud.

"Trust me, it isn't." Dick replied, albeit smilingly.

"Why the not? Learning is a wondrous and refreshing task, is it not?" Kori asked with a note of surprise in her voice.

Dick just smiled and shrugged. "If you say so, Kori."

Finally they arrived at the door. Dick glanced at Kori; she was still craning her neck to see as much as she could. He raised his hand and knocked.

--

"Well, that went well," Dick remarked later, when they were both outside the building.

"Yes, he did not seem surprised." Kori said.

Dick put both hands behind his head. "I guess it happens often."

Kori raised an eyebrow. "You guess?"

Dick suppressed the blush threatening to creep up his cheeks. Nevertheless, the wind suddenly seemed less biting.

"I, uh…" _What am I going to say? _he thought, panicking. _Think!_

"I went to boarding school for a while." he finished, after a split second of quick thinking, remembering the excuse Bruce had used for the disappearance of Dick Grayson.

"Oh, I see." Kori said. "So you and Tim have not done much of the 'hanging out'?"

Dick nodded. "Yeah, not much."

"That is a bit of the pity. I would have liked to know who he is through you."

_I wouldn't be able to answer that truthfully, Kori,_ Dick thought ruefully. _Too many secrets lie buried there._

They walked the rest of the road ahead of them in silence.


	8. Dick, Part IV

Dick, Part IV

-

-

-

-

Kori was currently deep into the Internet, searching for news on Robin's disappearance. Various newspapers were scattered near where she sat on the floor in a large circle. She muttered something in Tamaranian while she jotted down various facts on a notepad. There was so much information that it was becoming increasingly difficult to separate fact from fiction.

She also searched eagerly for news on her friends, the rest of the Teen Titans. Little ejaculations of joy and sadness alternated through the room, as she read news articles of their successes and defeats.

Dick pretty much knew what was going on across the room, so, without a word, he slipped out before shutting the door quietly behind him. He knew Kori wouldn't notice; she was too deep in finding Robin.

He flopped down on his bed with his hands cupping the back of his head, legs spread wide. Dick closed his eyes. He wanted so much to tell her who he was…or did he?

He opened his eyes again. He already had many, many chances to tell her who he was, but he never did. Did he _really_ want her to know?

'_Do you think you could hide forever?'_ a voice in his mind spoke scathingly.

Dick frowned. _'Shut up.'_

'_She'll find out sooner or later. Better if you tell her yourself.'_

'_Be quiet.'_

'_Coward.'_

'_I don't care.'_

'_Not even about Starfire?'_

He didn't answer. Instead, he picked up his cell phone and called the only person he could talk to at the moment.

"Barbara?"

"Dick?"

"Hey."

"I heard you were back."

Dick sounded surprised. "You did? I thought Bruce kept things quiet."

"I don't think he could keep something from Dad."

"Right, I was forgetting Commissioner Gordon."

Barbara's voice was soft. "He keeps egging me on. About you."

"Barb –"

She spoke over him. "I don't think he comprehends the fact that you don't love me anymore."

"Barbara, I – "

"It's fine with me, Dick, don't fret." There was no bitterness in her voice.

"I'm sorry." Dick said quietly.

"What for? I got over you long ago." Barbara said lightly.

"Really?" Dick said, pretending to be hurt.

Dick could practically see Barbara grin wolfishly across the phone. "Oh, yes. _And_ I've got a new boyfriend too."

"Ha!" he said. "No you haven't."

"Of course I have. Now, what about _your_ lovely young friend?"

"What?" Dick said, feigning deafness.

Barbara cleared her throat impatiently. "Don't think the news wouldn't have reached Gotham, Dick Grayson."

Dick said nothing.

"Now, will you explain why you came to Gotham, effectively abandoning your teammates? I mean, you _are_ the leader of their group, you must have _some _reason."

"Oh, um, that is, I…" Dick stammered nervously.

There was a second of silence before Barbara said, "It's her, isn't it?"

Dick glared at the phone, hating Barbara's insightfulness.

"Yep, that's the problem. Let it all out, bird boy." came Barbara's jaunty voice through the earpiece.

Dick hesitated for a moment, but then he remembered his own voice calling him _coward_. So he spilled. Not everything, of course. Just a tiny little slice of the problem pie.

"And now, Kori's _here_! _Here_, in _this_ _house_. _Alone_ with _me_."

"Bruce's idea, I suppose."

"I think I'm going to go crazy if I'm alone with her one more day." Dick shuddered.

Barbara sounded startled. "Why? She's your girlfriend."

Dick snorted. "Yeah, as if she knows."

"So?"

Dick shook his head, forgetting Barbara wouldn't be able to see him.

"I just think it's unfair to Kori. I know who we are, but she doesn't have a clue."

"Then tell her."

"I can't, don't ask me why." He sat there for a moment, and then a thought entered his head.

"I know! Why don't you come over?"

Barbara's voice was hesitant. "I don't think that'll be a good idea. Kori might be jealous."

"Even when she doesn't know I'm Robin?" he asked.

"You do have a point," she said thoughtfully.

"Tomorrow lunchtime then?"

"Sure."

"Thanks, Barbara."

"It's nothing."

"See you then."

Dick had just snapped his cell phone shut when he heard Kori's voice calling him down to dinner. He couldn't help smiling at her sweet tone, then remembered sadly that he wasn't Robin to her. He sprang off the bed, saying he'd be down in a moment.

--

He'd watched Kori's expression all through Barbara's visit, wondering if she would really be jealous of her. He thought he saw a flash of irritation whenever Barbara got close to him, but it might have just been his imagination.

But right now he had a bigger problem. Bruce had just called, and told Kori about the training room. He had purposely skipped that room when he had given her a tour of the house, in case she wanted to use it.

But, of course, Bruce didn't only tell her about the existence of the room. He had told her to try training with him. He glanced at Kori doing warm-up exercises on the other side of the training field. He would have to be careful if he weren't going to give himself away; they'd trained together for too long for Kori to not notice his idiosyncrasies in martial arts.

Then the fight began. He knew both were evenly matched, even with Kori's alien strength. She had often spoken to him about that fact, and he was rather proud of her comments.

But he hadn't trained in months. Well, he had, but it was little compared with what he was used to. Now, he cursed his idleness, for at this point Kori had the edge to win.

They broke apart, and circled each other, both dripping with perspiration, each looking for a weak spot in the opponent's tactics.

_It's now or never,_ Dick thought, and with a cry, both tackled each at the same time. He knew Kori's left side was always left more open then her right and focused his attack on that side. But to his surprise, she blocked him easily. Then, with a well-aimed swipe at his feet, she pinioned him to the ground.

Her eyes met his, and he knew the same memory was racing through her mind.

FLASHBACK 

"_I surrender," Robin said, all out of breath. Starfire grinned though she was out of breath as well._

"_I did tell you that I would win, Robin." Starfire said sweetly._

"_Ha, I was going easy on you," Robin boasted, not wanting to admit she was better than him, even though it was just by a hair._

"_Is that so?" Starfire managed a cheeky voice, even when she was out of breath._

_Then, suddenly, they were kissing each other, and enjoying every last second of the moment._

Something passed through her eyes.

"Kori?" he asked, afraid that she'd found out. But, she hadn't.

While he was in the shower, washing off all the stickiness of sweat and trying to wash off the sense of foreboding at the same time, he remembered something.

FLASHBACK 

"_Look, cookies!" Kori exclaimed, peering into the window of a bakery._

_Dick took one look at her face, and walked into the shop. A moment later, he returned with a bagful of the said cookies in his hand. _

_Kori thanked him with such a shining look in her eyes that he just _had_ to say, "They're just cookies," in an abashed way. They continued to walk, but now they were devouring the cookies with every step they took._

"_Dick," Kori said, staring at the cookie. "How is a cookie like this made?"_

_He looked at her puzzled expression, searching for the right words._

"_Well, you mix flour, eggs, milk, and lots of other things, according to the kind of cookie you want, to make the batter. Then you place circles of this batter on a pan and cook it in an oven." _

"_Oh." But it didn't sound as if she understood at all._

_Dick plucked the last cookie from the bag and placed it between her teeth._

"_I'll show you someday."_

_Kori smiled and placed the cookie in her hand in Dick's mouth._

Dick smiled at the memory, while the water ran relentlessly over his face and through his hair.

He turned off the water and wrapped himself in a large white towel, one idea lodged in his head – today he would show her how to make cookies.

--

He hadn't expected cookie making to be this chaotic. _It had never been when he did it with Alfred_, he mused, looking around at the mess in the kitchen.

_Alfred's going to kill me…_he thought as he sneezed a cloud of flour.

"Mmm, wondrous!" Kori said, tasting the batter using her fingers.

Dick groaned. "Oh, Kori, not the cookie dough."

Kori's expression was definitely impish.

"Here, have some for yourself."

He felt her soft finger covered in dough on his lips. He licked it off without thought.

"You're right, it's delicious," he said, looking at Kori.

He didn't remember how it happened. He didn't know who approached first. But in a moment they were locked in a strong kiss.

He had missed this sweet taste of her lips, so much. He didn't take into account that she didn't know he was Robin. It didn't matter, because this felt so…so _right_. When he did recollect that he was merely Dick to Kori, it was already too late.

She drew away.

"Robin…" she breathed.

Dick tried to cover up his actions. "Kori, what – "

But she already knew.

"Do not lie anymore, Robin!" she shouted, angry tears rolling down her cheeks. Outside, thunder clapped loudly, and the windows were illuminated briefly in white light, while Robin stared at Starfire.

She turned and ran out into the pouring rain outside.

Robin's shout seemed louder than the roar of thunder outside.

"STARFIRE!"

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Finally, we're getting somewhere with this story!


	9. Explanations, Part I

"_Do not lie anymore, Robin!" she shouted, angry tears rolling down her cheeks. Outside, thunder clapped loudly, and the windows were illuminated briefly in white light. _

_She ran out into the pouring rain outside._

"_STARFIRE!"_

Explanations, Part I

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If someone could draw the inside of Dick's mind, it would look like the kitchen he just left. Total pandemonium.

He didn't care that the rain was pouring, drenching his sweater and washing away the traces of flour on his hands and face, leaving white lines on his clothes.

"KORI!" he shouted through the rain. The only answer was the grumble of thunder. But the lightning that issued before had illuminated the open wrought-iron gate flapping in the furious gale.

"Oh, God…Kori…"

He knew it had to be her – who else could have wrenched the iron lock right off the door?

* * *

Kori was crying. No, sobbing would be a more accurate word. She was running barefooted down the crowded streets of Gotham, the tears mingling with the raindrops, her feet taking her where they would.

Dick was Robin. Robin was Dick. They were one and the same. But she loved Robin and hated Dick. Or did she love Dick and hate Robin? It was all so confusing, so confusing.

For that matter, was she Kori, or was she Starfire? Or to go further back, was she Koriand'r?

She didn't want to think about it. She didn't want to think about anything. She was running, running, running, as if she could run away from all her problems and confusions. As if the pouring rain could cleanse her muddled mind.

* * *

"KORI!"

Dick hurried through the multicolored umbrellas and raincoats surrounding him.

"KORI!"

_I couldn't have been more than a few seconds behind her,_ his agitated thoughts cried.

"KORI!"

_Where are you?_

"KORI!"

_I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I'm so, so sorry…_

"KORI!"

_I promise I'll never leave or lie to you, never again…_

"KORI!"

To Dick, every glimpse of red hair seemed like Kori's own fiery tresses, every flash of green like her eyes, the color of a rain-washed glade.

_How am I supposed to find her in a large city like Gotham?_

_Tamaranian powers are controlled by emotion…Starfire would be totally vulnerable._

_What if something happened to her? I would never forgive myself…_

"KORI!" he shouted desperately, his voice hoarse from all his shouting. He didn't care that passerby was staring at him. He didn't care if this made the front headlines of tomorrow's edition of the Gotham Times. He didn't care if all the gossip magazines in the world talked about his late night run in the rain. All that mattered right now was Kori.

But his practical brain was starting to kick in, telling him to calm down, that he wouldn't find her if he continued to act like this. It whispered to him that he should think about this logically, rationally. Where would a desperate alien girl, who wasn't yet familiar with the city, go? Cyborg wouldn't be able to trace her if she didn't take her communicator with her, which was very probable as his own was stashed away deep inside his suitcase.

She would go to a place she had been to often, his mind concluded, barely suppressing his panic. One with preferably fond memories.

_Wayne Manor,_ was Dick's first thought, but as she had just ran from that place, it seemed extremely unlikely that she would have gone there.

_The park! _his mind exclaimed.

The park was a place Kori had gone quite a few times, together with Dick as well as alone, to think, she had said. It was one of the first places he had shown her. Kori had fallen in love with it at once, and Dick knew why. It looked very much like the one she had left behind in Jump City.

He also knew that was the reason he saw a flash of nostalgia in her features while they walked through the many trees, the green lonely in the sea of gray buildings. He had remembered the frequent trips to the park with their friends as well, and Kori must have noticed something, because she had asked him if he was unwell.

_Oh no…_ Dick's mind whispered. _That road passes right near to the Narrows… and if she's wasn't paying attention…_

His feet sped faster than they ever had in waking life towards the dark and less pleasant sector of town. The rain spattered his face sharply while the cold wind cut into his skin like tiny daggers.

"Please be safe, please be safe…" he murmured as he ran. His frantic eyes thoroughly searched the alleys and streets. Nothing, nothing! Hopelessness threatened to drag him into its captivating quagmire.

Then, through the gloom, he spotted a crumpled white rectangle lying at the entrance of a narrow road. He crouched down to pick the sodden thing up. It was a towel that must have been snowy white at one time but was now gray with the dust mingled mud.

"Wayne," he muttered, reading the name stitched in gold-colored thread. He lifted his eyes to peer into the darkness of the alleyway. Kori was in there, he was sure.

Dick carefully stood up and walked inside, striving to discern shapes from shadows. But before he could call out Kori's name, a terrified shriek echoed from somewhere in front of him.

Dick ran silently forward, his eyes slowly adjusting to the general gloom. His heart wanted to shout her name, but somehow the small, four-lettered word would not get past his raw throat.

Throughout his superhero life, he had seen so many horrific scenes. He'd seen his parents die right in front of his eyes, his mother's green gaze fixed on him as she fell, and him powerless to help. He'd seen people dying in fire, squished beneath fallen buildings, people stabbed with a knife, mugged, gunned…he had even seen a body bloated and half-decayed in water, its skin an unnatural marble white. The sightless, glazed eyes haunted his dreams for months, and he'd wake up screaming because in every dream, the corpse's ice-cold fingers would grip his wrist as if pleading for its life. The icy touch would seem to linger long after he woke.

But none of it was as heart stopping as the sight in front of his eyes. Three dirty ragged men, stinking of cheap drink and tobacco, approaching Kori, all with obviously the same intent in mind. She was curled up against a wall in fright, too miserable to summon the emotions that would save her. One of them touched her face with a rough hand.

Instinctively, a low snarl rose from deep inside his throat as he launched himself at the nearest one. Armed with the element of surprise, he quickly cuffed him in the head, knocking him out. What he didn't know was that there was another man behind him.

_Ouch,_ his brain registered dimly, before the world turned to black nothingness.

* * *

Kori realized where she was going when she was halfway past the Narrows. Noticing a narrow lane, she slipped into it with the intention of crying without disturbance. Leaning on the hard concrete she cried, hot tears rolling down her frozen cheeks. Just when they had subsided somewhat to dry sobs, she noticed four shadowy figures enter the alley. She tried to cloak herself with the darkness, but they had already seen her. Kori screamed as they approached, but no knight in shining armor appeared to save her. One of them touched her face, his mad, bloodshot eyes surveying her with a look a wolf would have before devouring a lamb. Kori could feel his foul breath on her face, yet she could not marshal her emotions into an attack. She closed her eyes.

Then, her ears caught a low growl, and her eyes opened to see Dick clobbered on the head. He toppled over, unconscious.

Righteous fury raged through her at the sight of his motionless form, the rain thudding relentlessly on the body. A green light pulsed out of her, sweeping the three off their feet.

* * *

Reviews??? And sorry for late updates I now know what writers block is and it's a pain. Seriously.


	10. Explanations, Part II

Explanations, Part II

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"Robin...Robin...Robin..."

A sweet voice echoed inside his head.

_'Maybe this is heaven,'_ he thought. It certainly felt ethereal enough.

"Robin...Robin...Robin! Robin!"

The voice was still sweet, but now it had a terrified, panicky edge to it. Why was she so frightened?

He suddenly realized some one was shaking him by the shoulder. Hard.

He also noticed that amidst the hard, cold raindrops, something warm and wet was falling onto his face.

Then he remembered. _'Kori! I need to save her!'_

He forced his eyes open though it felt like Cinderblock was sitting on both of them.

He blinked his bleary eyes. A frenzy of vivid red surrounded him.

"Star..." he managed to croak out. The shaking stopped. Instantaneously, strong, slender arms encased him. That's when Dick realized every limb was sore and he had a nasty headache.

Her voice held the light of relief. "Oh, Robin, you are unharmed!"

"Oww..." he involuntarily groaned.

The arms let go of him as quickly as they had held him. Through the haze of rain and pain, he could see the green red-rimmed eyes in the pale, worried face wet with tears and the rain that was still pouring down. There was another flash of bright lightning.

"I am most sorry," she was saying. "I should have realized you were -"

Dick couldn't hear the rest of her sentence, as it was interrupted by a rumble of answering thunder. It didn't matter though. The moment he heard the word 'sorry' leave her lips, nothing else computed in his brain.

He was the one who put her through this roller coaster of emotions. He was the one that had left her in the tower. He was the one who had broken her heart. He was the one who had lied, the one who had flirted with her as Dick Grayson. The one who made her feel guilty and confused.

He was the one who should be saying sorry.

It was as if someone had drownedout all the sound in the world. He saw her eyes search him with worry stamped on her brow, her lips mouthing something. He saw another flash of light. But there was no sound.

He pulled her to him in a strong kiss.

He felt her go rigid, but then she melted into his touch as she wrapped her own arms around his neck, pulling them still closer. Their wet shirts stuck together. Neither cared that they were soaking wet.

The sound of thunder crashed down on him as the world regained all sound. They both fell down backwards onto the pavement, but their lips never parted as the rain pounded on them as one.

It was so much like their first kiss, all those years ago in Tokyo. They had just defeated the gruesome ink monster, and the rain was pouring down upon them, washing away the blackness of both heart and body. And they had kissed. A soft, quiet first kiss.

And how fitting it was for Dick and Kori's first kiss to mirror Robin and Starfire's!

But this kiss held more passion and more pain that came from experiencing love, and the heartbreak that inevitably came along with it.

Kori's arms began to loosen, so Dick released his grip on her waist and they pulled apart. Dick could see uncertainty tumble in her emerald eyes as the looked deep inside each other.

"I'm sorry."

The words tumbled out of his mouth as if they had a mind to their own. But he meant it. Every syllable.

"I'm sorry…"

Two tears slipped down his already soaked cheeks. First on the right, then on the left.

"I'm sorry…"

The tears were now coming thick and fast, barely discernible among the raindrops. Robin dropped his gaze, ashamed. He felt a warm touch on his cheek, but he still didn't look up. But the hand was insistent. It tugged his chin upwards, so that he had to look up. His gaze was met by Starfire's watery smile.

Starfire knew Robin was not saying those words merely to sooth her. She knew they were true words from his heart because he had shown her his tears. He had never done so before. She knew he thought them as a sign of weakness.

She leaned in as gave him a soft kiss, an 'I forgive you' kiss.

"I love you," Kori whispered to Dick, who was Robin at the same time.

"I love you too," Dick replied, looking into Kori's smiling eyes, which were Starfire's eyes at the same time.

They just sat there in the rain, smiling and crying at the same time, willing the rain to wash away the pain and the lies darkening their lives.

The rain had become a mere drizzle by the time they stood up.

Dick grasped Kori's hand. "Let's go home."

They walked into the glaring light of the streetlamps, not caring that passerby were staring at their wet, mud-caked attire.


	11. Explanations, Part III

Explanations, Part III

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They stepped inside the cavernous hall of the mansion, dripping water all over the rug in front of the door. Dick stole a glance at Kori and turned towards the stairs. Before he could go so much as a step, Kori grabbed both his shoulders, and faced him.

"Dick Grayson. You do realize that this does not mean that I have forgiven you."

Dick nodded meekly. He had hoped she would forget, at least for today…

"I still want a full explanation from you. Now."

"_Now?_" Dick asked, sounding more than a little desperate.

Kori looked very stern. "Yes, now. You have kept the truth from me for too long." Her eyes were two pools of deep hurt in her beautiful face. "Do you know how much that has pained me?"

"Let's at least get into dry clothes." Dick said soothingly, not showing the guilt that was engulfing his heart.

Kori looked suspiciously at him.

"I'm not trying to back out of this. I know I owe you this explanation." He grasped her shoulder as if it was made of delicate glass. "And I'm sorry for what I've done."

Kori hesitated, but her eyes soon softened and she nodded in ascent. "All right. Let us get changed first. Meet in the kitchen?"

Dick grimaced, remembering the mess inside. "I don't think that's a good idea. Let's meet in the living room…" But then another idea popped up in his mind. "No…in my room."

A slight flush crept up Kori's cheeks. "Just like old times?" she asked.

Dick smiled. "Just like old times."

* * *

Just as Dick pulled on his shirt, there was a tentative knock on his door. A soft feminine voice said, "May I come in?"

"Sure!" he replied, jumping on to his bed. The door slowly creaked open, and a curtain of red peeked in. Dick looked up to see Starfire peering at him through the narrow opening.

Starfire wordlessly sat on the bed next to him.

"Hi," she said, hoping that the one listening was Robin, not Dick.

"Hi," he said.

They both looked away.

An uncomfortable silence stretched unbearably long between them. Suddenly they were both shy, just like the time that they first met. But this time they knew too many of each other's secrets.

"Uh…so you wanted to know something?" Dick said, finally breaking the silence, his voice raspy from nervousness.

Starfire looked at Dick, her eyes hard chips of malachite. Dick bit his tongue. All the uneasiness he always had with Starfire when they were younger came rushing back.

"Why did you leave, Robin?" she asked, her voice quiet, but her eyes were like ice. "Was I not enough for you? Did you tire of me?"

Robin's mouth went dry. "Starfire, I…"

She glared at him, just to force the tears away. "What was it Boy Blunder? What did I do wrong?"

Feeling the hot tears well in her eyes, Starfire glared harder, hoping they wouldn't spill over onto her cheeks, exposing them for Robin to see. But finally one stray droplet shone on her orange cheek, bright like liquid diamond.

Robin pulled her into a hug, holding her tighter than he ever had.

"Oh, God, what have I done?" Robin murmured, closing his eyes against her ruby hair, feeling the warm drops seep gently into his dry shirt. He rubbed her shaking back lightly, hoping she didn't hate him, hoping that someday she would forgive him.

"Starfire, I'm sorry." He stroked her still-wet hair. "I know I really don't deserve it, but will you forgive me? For what I've done?"

Starfire clenched her teeth. Her heart told her to just forgive and forget, but she steeled herself not to accept. Not yet.

"I want…no, I need to hear your reason, Robin. Why did you leave?" Her voice was cold, controlled, though the tears were still coming. She took a deep breath and disentangled herself from Robin's agonized grip.

Robin saw with a sinking heart that her eyes were still emotionless as she slowly wiped the traces of her tears from her cheeks.

Starfire's mouth was one thin line. "The reason, Robin." she said.

Robin looked away. "You won't understand – " he began, but Starfire cut him off sharply.

"That is for me to decide. Spill."

Well, he had promised her an explanation.

Robin took a deep preparatory breath to steady himself before plunging into his pitiful explanations.

"I…I couldn't bear the thought of you getting hurt because of me. I loved you, and I knew I couldn't just date you forever."

His hand searched the surface of the bed for her hand.

"But I couldn't break up with you…and for the other choice…it…it seemed impossible. Something too good to be true."

He finally found Starfire's hand, and held it tight.

"It drove me crazy whenever I tried to sort out my thoughts and tried to make the best decision, for you, for me."

Starfire's eyes searched Robin's face.

"I needed time to think, away from everything Robin was. I…I was afraid."

Now it was Starfire's hand that was squeezing Robin's.

"And I didn't know how to explain to you that I was leaving because of you…"

Starfire's hand moved rhythmically against his hand, the softness assuring him that all would be all right.

"But I still love you. I won't blame you for hating me. I deserve your hate."

Robin lowered his gaze from her arm to the slight yellowish stain on his white shirt, feeling vulnerable. But he didn't want to hide anything from her, not today, no matter how uncomfortable he felt.

Starfire knew he was baring more of his soul than he usually did. Robin always wanted to look perfect and invincible, someone who always had everything under control. In his eyes, fear was a weakness, something he was forbidden to express.

And she was thankful for his choice to expose everything to the light, all the festering scars and uncertainty unmasked, just like his face.

"Oh, Robin," she said, "I never hated you, my love." Her hand left Robin's only to caress his cheek.

He looked up. Immediately, her lips covered his own. Robin's eyes widened in shock, but Starfire did not allow him to feel that way for long. She leaned into him, causing them to topple over onto the bed, joined as one by the lips.

Her fingers ran through the familiar silkiness of Robin's black tresses as she held him closer to herself. Robin circled her waist, reveling in the closeness of it all, in the fact that he beheld an angel in his arms.

"I could _never_ hate you." she whispered as she pulled away.

"I've missed those kisses," Robin murmured contentedly.

Starfire snuggled into his chest. "I have missed them as well."

He flung the sheets over them both. "How were things at the tower after I left?" he asked carefully.

"It was never the same without you, you were our leader after all. Your presents are still laid out in the ops room, by the way. The decorations are still waiting for your return, as is the food.

"Do not worry, we never neglected our duty to the city, though many times we wished to."

She smiled at him. "Your eyes are beautiful, Robin."

He blushed crimson. "Uh, thanks…"

Her warm finger traced the bottom of his blue eyes. "I have never seen such a color in anyone."

She bit her lip and crinkled her face trying to think of the perfect metaphor. "Like the ocean in the summer sun…like the sky in the heat of autumn."

The sheets were beginning to feel smothering to Robin as his blush deepened. Without replying, he picked up a notepad from his bedside table and threw it at the light switch. The lights flicked off as the notepad found its mark.

"Lazybones," chided Starfire.

"I wasn't going to leave you alone on my bed," he said with his patented smile. "You're going to stay with me this night."

Starfire poked Robin in the side. "What if I do not want to?"

"I wouldn't let you go anywhere." Robin growled playfully, and tackled Starfire. Starfire shrieked with mirth as Robin's fingers tickled her. But she gathered herself enough to attack him with her own fingers. This time it was Robin who had to let out a laugh.

They wrestled with each other for a few more minutes, laughing all throughout that time. Finally they quieted down, and lay there under the covers in each other's arms.

"So, Bruce Wayne is Batman." Starfire murmured.

"Yup. And Dick Grayson is Robin."

Their voices could be heard late into the night.

* * *

Many apologies for the very late update! I've got APs and midterms coming up...so... I might not be able to update for another long while...sorry!!


	12. Explanations, Part IV

Longest chapter I have _ever _written... I hope this will be adequate contemplation for the very lateness! Heavens, I'm talking like Starfire now... (shakes head) Well, enjoy!

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Explanations, Part IV

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Dick suddenly realized that he was cold.

With his eyes still closed, he groped around with his hand, seeking the warm heat source that had been next to him all night, wanting nothing more than to hold it close. His hand found nothing.

Even in his semi-conscious state, he was surprised that there were only blankets next to him and not a warm body to hold. His sluggish brain strived to grasp and make sense of this knowledge. Finally it hit him. Kori had been next to him. But now she was gone.

His eyes sprang open and he sat up quickly.

"Ow!" he hissed, his hand automatically rising to his throbbing head. Massaging his temples in an attempt to assuage the ache, he looked around to where Kori had previously been. Only a slight indent upon the pillow testified to her presence there the night before.

Fully intending to go looking for her, Dick attempted to slide off the bed. But the moment he swung his legs over the edge of his bed, his room swam before his eyes and his head gave a particularly nasty throb. He also felt slightly detached, as if all this was occurring in some sort of dreamworld.

Not wanting another wave of pain to crash over him, Dick slowly slid his legs back underneath the blankets and raised his hand to his forehead. It was raging hot.

_Well, that explains everything,_ he groused silently. He sniffled. _Great. I also have a stuffy nose._

He vigorously massaged his temples, trying to assuage the continued throbbing, his eyes screwed shut against the pain. A slight shiver wracked his body and he pulled the thick blankets over him with one hand, the other continuing its repetitive circular motion. Consequently, he did not hear the soft twang of bedsprings as someone sat on the bed next to him.

"Good morning, Robin."

The voice made him instantaneously forget his pain. His head swiveled towards the voice, earning him another throb. Trying not to wince, he replied,

"Good morning, Star." He attempted a smile, but it came out rather twisted and vague. Starfire's face had an irritating smirk plastered onto it as she held out two tablets of Tylenol and a cup of water. Dick swallowed the pills quickly, eager to rid himself of the irksome headache.

"Thanks," he said, gratefulness evident in his voice.

Her smirk softened to a gentle smile. "I welcome you." she answered. After a moment's silence, she spoke again. "Feeling better?"

Dick turned his head from side to side. It still ached a bit, but it was bearable. "Yeah, I guess it was the rain."

Starfire nodded in ascent. "Yes, and the cold wind that was blowing last night."

Dick raised his hand to touch the still tender back of his head, where he had been mugged the night before. "I don't think this exactly helped," he said wryly, indicating the injury. "What about you, Star? You okay?" he added with genuine concern, examining her intently.

Starfire grinned widely. "We are a most resilient people, Richard Grayson. A little cold weather does not affect us."

A playful light dancing in her eyes, she added with certain smugness, "It serves you right for what you put me through."

"You don't mean that," Dick sulked.

"Yes I do, Robin, every word." Starfire said with a smirk that thoroughly annoyed Dick. Starfire's bright laughter pealed brilliantly at Dick's indignant expression.

A mischievous glint crept into his eyes as he eyed the pillow next to him. "Really?" he drawled, grasping the pillow slowly, unnoticed by Starfire. "Then take this!" he yelled, and threw the pillow at Starfire's still laughing face. Her laughter was cut short by a muffled "oompf" as it hit her square on the mouth.

She looked surprised, but only for a second. The next moment, she had seized the pillow that had just been thrown at her. "Oh, you are the on!" she cried playfully, and with a harsh war cry, she attempted to bash Robin on the head with the plush white rectangle, but Robin had already picked up the pillow behind him and blocked her attack.

Soon, feathers were flying all over the place, drifting over the floors and furniture like a sprinkle of early snow. The mistreated pillows were drooping with fatigue.

Two panting, laughing young adults were leaning against the bedstead, the unfortunate cushions still held in their hands.

"Well, that was mature," Robin managed to choke out, barely holding down his laughter.

Starfire giggled, her cheeks flushed scarlet with glee. The clock tipped over backwards on the bedside table caught her eye. It was beeping as if it was piqued at the treatment it had received. It was already half past twelve. She had not realized how late the time was.

Starfire quickly floated out the door, her joy overflowing too much to keep her feet grounded.

"Where are you going?" Dick called out after her, his voice laced with bright curiosity.

"You will see," she sang back, "Do not leave the bed!"

Dick's curiosity was heightened by the last part. Why on earth would she tell him to stay in bed? But he wasn't about to jeopardize his newly regained trust by following her to wherever she was going.

Luckily, Starfire was quick at whatever she was doing. Soon, the door swung open, revealing a faintly blushing Starfire, carrying a small table in her hands. Trying to ignore the wide-eyed stare Dick was giving her, she set it down in front of him.

Dick's eyes got wider, if that was humanly possible, when he saw what was on the table. There was a small plate of toast, complete with a choice of butter or strawberry jam. There was a cup of warm milk next to the butter knife and spoon. There was one fried egg, sunny side up. There was also a box of Kleenex. But the thing that surprised Dick was the bowl in the middle, filled to the brim with steaming chicken soup.

"It is called breakfast in bed, I believe," Starfire murmured shyly, anxiously examining Dick's expression. "Although it would be more accurate to call it lunch in bed at the moment."

"Chicken soup?!" Dick ejaculated. "_Chicken soup?!_"

Starfire fiddled with her index fingers. "It is a folk remedy for the colds in your planet, is it not?"

"C'mere, you."

Starfire inched closer to him, not daring to look up. Then two arms held her tight. She looked up to see Dick's wide, astonished, gratified smile and flashed one of her own.

"How'd you know that's how we take care of colds?" he asked wonderingly, taking a sip. "And by the way, this tastes amazing."

Starfire gave a cheeky grin. "Thank you, and I asked someone."

Dick stopped spooning the liquid into his mouth and looked up from his bowl. "Who?" he asked, very interested.

"I am not telling you until you finish all the food." Starfire stated adamantly. "And I shall take it as a personal insult if you leave so much as a crumb."

Dick returned to his food. "Yes, mum." he chuckled as he munched down on a piece of buttered toast, spraying bits all over the blanket.

A few silent moments later, only interrupted by the slurps and crunches of frenzied eating, Dick raised the bowl to his lips and drained the few drops that remained.

"That was the best meal I've had in a long time," he declared as he put down the dry bowl on the table. "I think my cold's long gone now."

Starfire deftly swept the table from Dick's lap and flew to door. "Thank you for feeling so," she said before floating across the threshold. "I will return presently after I put all the cooking utensils in their proper places."

Dick sank back into the pillows, his eyes closed, a smile dancing on his lips. He felt at peace with the world at the moment; he was full of good, warm food, Starfire still loved him…

His cell phone began to ring.

Without even looking at the name of the caller, he flipped it open and said, "Hello?"

"Dick."

He tensed at the voice that issued from the earpiece. "Hi, Bruce."

"So," he said smugly, drawing out the word so that it stretched like bubblegum, "Made up with Starfire, have you?"

The thought of the Tamaranian alien made the corner of his lips involuntarily tug upward. "Yeah, I have…" he replied rather dreamily. He suddenly sprang upright on the bed as if shocked by electricity.

"Hey! How'd you know that?" he cried, stunned. Then he frowned as a sudden notion struck him. "Bruce –" he started warningly, clearly annoyed.

"I hope you didn't do anything inappropriate," Bruce said nonchalantly.

Dick's eyes narrowed. "Have you been watching us?"

"Well, of course, Dick, you know who I am."

Dick hissed angrily.

"But calm down, I only monitored the hallways." Bruce's placid voice came over the phone. "So, have you?"

"No!" he exclaimed vehemently. "We just…shared a bed together. Nothing happened, I swear!"

Dick could practically hear the laughter in his father's voice as he said, "No need to get so worked up, Richard Grayson."

Dick just glared at the phone.

Bruce's unruffled voice continued on, blissfully ignorant of Dick's actions. "I would have found out anyway. It's all over the net. And the papers are having a ball."

"WHAT?!"

"I don't want to be deaf, thank you." Bruce's voice said coolly. "See for yourself."

Tossing his cell phone unceremoniously on the bed, Dick rummaged around under his bed for his laptop and glowered at it all the while it was rebooting. The moment the desktop appeared, he ferociously clicked the explorer and began to search the net. What he was looking for wasn't hard to find.

" 'Richard Grayson spotted running in the rain…new pastime for the adopted son of multimillionaire Bruce Wayne? …Witnesses say he was yelling out a name, Cory… The question everyone's asking; who is this Cory? …Possibly the girlfriend of the elusive prince of Gotham…witness accounts of Richard Grayson walking up to Wayne Manor with a girl with long red hair…perhaps this is the Cory he was yelling about…on another point, where has he been all these years? Bruce Wayne has only stated that he was sent to a private school elsewhere…why is he not in school? None of the elite universities claim to have received any student with the name Grayson…' They spelt her name wrong," he muttered aloud as he scanned several articles. "Don't these people have anything better to talk about?"

"Apparently not. At any rate, you're cover's blown with Starfire. I suggest you go on a date with someone else before they trace down who Starfire is."

Dick frowned his father's words. "Uh, thanks, but no thanks. I am _not_ going to blow down her trust just yet, as fragile as it is." he said, with an edge of finality creeping into his voice.

"Just go to the movies with Barbara or something. That'll get them off Starfire's scent, and Barbara's your friend. You can make this a friendly gesture." Bruce suggested.

"Can I take Starfire along?" Dick asked casually. "Better yet, what if I don't really care?"

"It's not just your identity on the line." Bruce said with an underlying growl.

"I meant, what if I don't care that the whole world knows that Richard Grayson and Kori Anders are dating each other?"

"Starfire stands out too much, and your semblance with Robin and Starfire's relationship will be noticed quickly." Bruce objected.

"I have an answer to that. Hologram rings."

"Hologram rings?" he asked, his voice both questioning and skeptical at the same time.

"Cyborg invented them; they work like a charm. Her eye color, skin color, and hair color can all be altered in any way we want. The rest can be done with makeup and different hairdos." Dick explained hopefully.

"Amazing," Bruce replied, unable to mask his approval, "But later on, you'll wish you hadn't."

"Why on earth not?" Dick asked, genuinely surprised.

"You're starting to sound like her." Bruce remarked amusedly with a slight chuckle. "Because when you get married, it's going to be difficult to keep that thing on all the time." he explicated.

Dick suddenly found that he had lost his voice.

The cell phone had not. "Richard. Are you still there?"

Dick nervously cleared his throat. "Uh, of course," he said, managing to work the words out of his tight throat. "Don't worry, the hologram ring's comfortable for daily use. Anyway, all I'm going to change is her eyes and eyebrows."

"Just do this the easy way," said Bruce, quite exasperated at Dick's resistance.

"I'm twenty years old, for heaven's sake! It's time I stopped rotating around various girlfriends and chose someone I love!"

Bruce sighed. "Just _one_ movie with Barbara will do the trick. It's not that hard."

"Besides, I'm going back to Jump as soon as I can arrange a flight and you come back. Starfire wants to thank you for your hospitality." Dick said, ignoring Bruce's last sentence.

"Well, for the time being, I'll let it pass. And congratulations. But think about it, it's for the good of you both."

"All right. I'll think about it. But not now, okay?"

"Fine. I'll be home in about two days. Think you can hold down the fort for that long?" Bruce asked teasingly.

"Sure." Dick said, immensely relieved that Bruce was giving in to his opinion for this once.

"Good bye, then."

"Yeah, see you later."

Dick waited until there was a small click as Bruce hung up at the other end of the phone before he shut his own.

Then he remembered the kitchen and last night.

"Oh darn, I have so much to clean up!" he groaned. "Achoo!"

Just then, the bedroom door opened and Starfire entered. "Galufnog!" she said cheerily. "What must you clean that you say there is so much?"

"Oh, hi Star. Finished with the tidying?"

Starfire nodded. "Yes, but what must you clean?"

Dick grimaced slightly as he answered. "The kitchen. I really need to start cleaning it; Alfred will have a heart attack if he sees it in that condition. It's going to take ages to put things right." A disheartened sigh escaped his lips at the very thought of all the mopping and sweeping that would have to be done.

He was amazed that Starfire chose to break into a fit of giggles at that very moment.

"What?"

"Oh, Robin, do not worry, I have already finished all the necessary cleaning!" she said, still giggling slightly. Now Dick was really amazed.

"You did?" he said incredulously. "When? How?"

Starfire flipped a stray strand of hair over her shoulder. "I was awake many hours before you. You became much warmer than was usual, and the heat woke me, as I suspected that this was not normal."

"I'm sorry."

Starfire shook her head. "It was not a voluntary action, rather it was the defense mechanisms of your body reacting to the cold virus. Besides, it was already late morning, I did not mind."

"So, what did you do?" he asked, quite interested in what she would have done.

"I called Barbara."

Dick's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "You did _what_?"

"We exchanged the number of the phone the last time we had met, do you not recall?"

"Uh, no?"

Starfire gave him a sideways glance. "Well, we did. When I noticed your high body heat, I called Barbara and asked her what I must do. She is the one who informed me where the necessary medication was, and suggested the chicken soup. I have made a few adjustments to the recipe she gave me, however."

Dick looked horrified.

Starfire didn't seem to notice.

"I think I have put in more garlic and added some ginseng I found in the cupboard."

Dick looked extremely relieved and let out a small sigh, again unnoticed by Starfire.

"I have heard about its properties often, and I thought it wise to include this in the broth. Was it much noticeable?"

Dick shook his head with an overly bright smile, hoping Starfire really hadn't seen his expression before.. "Nope, not at all! It actually tasted much better."

"I am glad you enjoyed it." Starfire said warmly. "As for myself, it seemed to take away the bad aftertaste the meat of chicken often has."

"Mmhmm. You're right, now that I think about it." Dick nodded, remembering the cleaner taste. "So, you asked Barbara for help."

"Yes. And as the chicken soup takes approximately three hours to make, and because most of that time is merely simmering, which requires no supervision I decided to do the making of myself useful and clean the kitchen."

"Ah, Kori, you're a lifesaver." Dick murmured blissfully.

Starfire winked. "Yes, I know. Perhaps I should have let Alfred see the kitchen before I cleaned it. His reaction to your mess would have been amusing to see."

Starfire shrieked as Dick threw his pillow at her, and promptly another pillowfight broke out in Wayne Manor.

* * *

Huzzah! I am almost finished with this story... Actually, I was going to make this chapter the last, but so many ideas popped into my head, I just couldn't resist... Tell me how much you loved/hated/didn't care about the chapter! Maybe Starfire will cook more chicken soup then.


	13. Epilogue

Epilogue

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"Welcome home!" Starfire cried the moment Bruce stepped over the threshold and gave him a hug. "It is very nice to see you again!"

Bruce gave Dick an is-this-normal-behavior-for-her look over Starfire's shoulder. Dick just smiled and shrugged.

"Same here, Kori," Bruce replied once she had let him out of her embrace. "Had a nice time, Dick?"

"Yeah, it was great." Dick said with a grin.

Starfire noticed Tim and Alfred coming up the manor stairs and flew out to greet them, giving both enthusiastic hugs and chatting merrily with them as she accompanied them up the stairs. Unheeding to Alfred's protests, she carried both of their suitcases with ease.

"She looks happy," Bruce remarked to Dick as both watched the small group.

"I know," Dick replied, having eyes only for Starfire's laughing face.

As Starfire, Tim and Alfred came closer, Bruce and Dick could hear Starfire's voice float towards them.

"…it was all such fun, but Dick was very worried that you would become angry."

Alfred's face blanched slightly. Starfire noticed this and rushed on, "But he need not have worried, for I am more than capable of clearing such messes. At Titans Tower, we have much worse messes, usually created by friend Beastboy. I do not think it totally his fault, as he is naturally untidy."

They had finally arrived at the open door framing the two men.

"Good evening, Master Dick. I trust you have kept things under control during our absence?" Alfred asked him, a hidden glint in his eyes.

"Uh, sure!" Dick answered, his voice unnecessarily loud. Alfred knowingly smiled at him before passing inside with one of the suitcases.

"Hiya, Dick! So-oh, what's going on between you and Kori? Ow!" Tim cried as Dick gave him a mild cuff on the ears.

"Never you mind." Dick grinned at him, and after a moment's sour expression, Tim grinned back. He took the other suitcase from Starfire's hand before lugging it inside the house after Alfred. Starfire closed the door as the remaining three people entered the manor.

"We'll call you down when dinner's ready. We can talk then. How does that sound?" Bruce asked, picking up his own suitcase that he had dropped when Starfire gave him the surprise hug. Starfire nodded, and glanced at Dick; he gave his ascent as well.

"Good. See you both then."

He slipped into the shadows of the large house towards the direction of the master bedroom as Dick and Starfire climbed the stairs, hand in hand.

* * *

"Thanks for the great dinner, Alfred." chorused three male voices.

"Yes, it was most enjoyable to the senses!" chirruped one female voice.

Alfred began to clear out the dishes, replying, "It was nothing."

Starfire jumped up to help him carry them to the kitchen, floating off with a stack before Alfred could so much as say "It is fine."

After their exit, the remaining three could hear Alfred's objecting voice and Starfire's cheery tone of her reply.

"She's quite something, isn't she?"

Bruce's voice seemed to come out of nowhere. When Dick didn't answer back, Bruce continued on quietly, "Don't lose her."

"I don't plan to," Dick said coolly, though he was inwardly surprised that he would even care. Tim took a quick look at Bruce as if worried for his sanity.

Starfire entered with a bucket of ice cream and five spoons. "Desserts, anyone?" she asked. Tim eagerly reached for a spoon, stating, "I get the first dip."

"Nah, I'm getting it!" Dick retorted, grabbing his own and taking the tub of ice cream from Starfire's hands. As the two struggled over the dessert, Starfire turned Bruce, who was shaking his head muttering, "Immature."

"I thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Wayne."

"It was nothing. I wasn't about to let you wander around looking for Robin when I already knew where he was."

"Yes, and I thank you for that too." She glanced at the two boys raucously digging into the ice cream and Alfred looking more than slightly irked at their behavior. "I do realize you went to a business trip so that we could get a chance to be alone with each other."

Bruce gave a long nod. "I expected as much. So, is everything sorted out with you two?"

Starfire's eyes were still on Dick, but somehow seemed to be gazing farther away. "Mostly."

Bruce turned to look at Tim and Dick too. "I suppose that's the closest anyone gets to solving their problems."

"Thank you, for everything."

"No, I thank _you_ for making my son see the error of his ways."

"Hey, Star, come have some! I _know_ you like this flavor," Dick called out to them, waving his spoon.

Starfire glanced questioningly at Bruce. "Would you like to join us?"

"Sure, why not?" he said, allowing a smile to creep into his features. He then shouted at his sons, "You two, leave some for Kori and me!"

* * *

"So, you _want_ me to go?"

Starfire stood in front of the fridge with her arms adamantly crossed across her chest.

"Yes, I want you to spend some time with your former friends here before we leave. You have not done the hanging out with any because of my presence."

Dick crossed his own arms. "That was my decision to make, and I enjoyed being with you!"

Starfire wasn't one to back down. "Still, I wish for you to at least show your face to them before we fly to Jump City."

Dick's eyes narrowed characteristically. "Bruce told you to do this, didn't he?"

"I told him that I wished to speak with him. And I do wish you'd spend time with your other friends, Richard."

Her eyes widened at him, pleading, reasoning with him. Dick sighed. He'd never been able to defend himself against her eyes.

"Okay, fine."

Starfire's eyes lit up with happiness. "Oh, thank you, Robin! I truly wish you happiness on your excursion today with Barbara. I myself will speak to k'norfka Bruce, then journey to the mall of shopping."

"Only for your happiness, Star." Dick said, slightly smiling. "But, _next_ time I come around here, the world's going to know you're my girlfriend."

"I think we are out of mustard."

"Oh."

Starfire shook her head, laughing at their randomness, Dick joining her not long after.

The doorbell began to ring.

"Do I have to?" Dick whined.

Starfire gave him a sharp look.

"Okay, okay, no backing out, I got it," he said, raising both his arms in surrender.

"I shall see you soon, Robin," she sang towards his retreating back.

"Yeah, soon." he muttered under his breath as he approached the door.

* * *

"How was your day?" Starfire asked him over dinner that evening.

Dick poked at his steak and potatoes before looking up. "It was…fun."

Starfire's grin could only be described as triumphant. "See?" she said smilingly.

"But I missed you every single moment," Dick said huskily, his voice low.

The couple gazed lovingly at each other, their emotions acute and intense, yet clouding all senses.

"Ahem," Tim cleared his throat, bringing the twosome back to earth and its earthly problems, like the short, black-haired kid that had just interrupted their moment. "You can do that when you get back to the Tower."

"Did you _have_ to do that?" Dick groused, picking up his fork and knife again and tackling the meat.

"Of course," Tim said cheerily before spooning the rest of his remaining potatoes into his mouth.

Dick finished the rest of his steak before saying, "So, Bruce already out?"

Starfire nodded affirmative. "Tim is not able to accompany him because he has not finished his algebra homework yet."

"Yeah. What she said." Tim grumbled before pushing his empty plate away. "I suppose I should go finish before Bruce gives me another lecture when he gets back."

He left, leaving Starfire and Dick there with the empty plates.

"I guess it's just you and me, Star."

"Yes."

"If I remember rightly, we have a soul-conversation to complete."

"Mhmm."

"My room?"

"That sounds wondrous."

Taking her hand, Prince Charming led the beautiful princess away to his castle chambers.

* * *

"Good bye, k'norfka Bruce." Starfire gave Bruce a hug, which he returned rather awkwardly. "I hope we will see each other again soon."

"I think we will. We have another charity ball here around June."

"To which Kori will be coming as my date," Dick cut in, dragging two suitcases behind him as he arrived at the terminal. He stared defiantly at Bruce as if to challenging him to disagree.

Bruce just shrugged. "Since you listened to me, or more like you listened to Kori," Dick blushed against his own will, "I'll let you."

Dick inwardly gave a very relieved sigh; he really hadn't been looking forward to arguing over this.

"Thank you." Starfire flashed a grateful smile at Bruce. "I know how much this means to you."

"Thanks, Bruce. You know, for everything."

Bruce crossed his arms in mock anger. "_Finally_ he appreciates what I've been doing."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." muttered a flustered Boy Wonder.

The speakers announced that the plane to Jump City would be leaving soon. Dick and Starfire got in line. The moment before they entered the passageway, both turned around and waved at Bruce, who smiled and waved back. He stood there until Dick's dark head and Kori's fiery ponytail bobbed out of sight.

* * *

"Ahh!"

Beastboy ducked behind a car and winced as the all the windows shattered with a loud crash, showering him with bits of glass.

"Beastboy!" cried Raven, her voice slightly harsh.

Beastboy shook himself to get rid of the shards. "I'm okay!" he shouted, "But I'm getting tired of this!"

"Amen to that," Cyborg said as he aimed his sonic cannon at the cackling Mumbo from behind another car. His shot missed the rogue magician, who spun away, throwing spells at them.

"When did Mumbo give us such trouble?" Raven asked no one in particular, trying to get a decent shot at Mumbo through all the dust and trash the magician's spells had kicked up.

Cyborg shot his cannon again, with no luck. "Ever since he left, and Star went after him. Oof!"

A large chunk of asphalt had landed right next to him. The three titans gazed dazedly at the piece of street that had fallen from the sky. Then they heard a loud war cry through the hazy atmosphere, followed by a similar cry with a feminine voice. This was followed by a series of loud thumps accompanied by more husky shouts and the shriek of Mumbo's spells. They squinted through the dust, trying to get visuals on the new arrivals.

Before they could get a good sighting, they saw three green starbolts whiz though the air and hit something squarely in the chest, making it fall back on the ground, unable to run as it was dazed at the impact.

Someone wearing a billowing cape was crouching next to the fallen Mumbo, deftly handcuffing the captured thief. As he straightened up, the dust cleared to reveal two heroes standing proudly on the partially demolished road, a semi-conscious Mumbo at their feet.

"Hi guys," Robin called, a slightly sheepish grin on his face. "We're back."

Starfire waved at them, one hand around Robin's shoulders. "Hello friends! We have missed you!"

All of them, even Raven, ran up and tackled both prodigal friends clean off their feet in a colossal hug.

* * *

Starfire picked up the last photograph and pasted it in her scrapbook. Lovingly, she smoothed it down with her fingertips. After leaning over and scribbling something underneath it, she held it out at arm's length and gazed at it with a satisfied sigh.

The photograph was of the whole team, gathered around the coffee table, the ocean scenery spread out behind them through the vast window of the Ops room. Robin sat in the middle, with a cone shaped birthday hat perched haphazardly on his head. He was grinning widely, his right arm draped over Starfire's shoulder. Her smile was so bright that it would have outshined the very sun.

Even Raven was sporting a gentle smile, standing next to Robin. Beastboy was hanging on her shoulder, goofy grin fixed firmly in place. He seemed glad that Raven wasn't glowering at him for once. Cyborg was standing over them all, and if the photo could record sound, he would have been shouting, "Booyah!"

_It has been a perfect day. Robin is here once more with the team …with me. There is so much to be thankful for. The party of birthdays was simply splendid, and all were so joyful that I did not wish for the day to end._

_And I know now that Robin still loves me. But now I also have the love of Dick Grayson as well. And I love him most ardently in return, both Starfire and Koriand'r._

_Confused I am no more. _

* * *

"You know, Robin," Batman said, "What on earth is a k'norfka??"

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And that's it, everyone. This chapter is the end of _Confused_. It's sad, I know.

I thank everyone who has read this story. Special thanks to all those who reviewed this story and urged me to write this; I couldn't have finished this without all your love!!

Also thank you for all the faves! I never imagined this story would be so well recieved. I apologize if it wasn't as good as you hoped...

I'll be back with more stories, I promise you that. Well, when I finish _Happily Ever After?_ that is.

For you readers of _Happily Ever After?_, this story is actually in the same timeline. Which means Robin/Nightwing deserted his team twice. I'm not sure he should be the leader sometimes... First he's RedX, then he's Slade's apprentice...(shakes head) But then again, he's the only one who can remain so task-orientated.

Another tidbit; the "prodigal friends" part is referring to the well-known "prodigal son" proverb from the Bible. Just so you know.

Well, I guess it's good bye...for now. I'll miss you all!!

Hope to see you soon, everyone!!

(Tell me if the ending was satisfactory, please. All feedback is welcome...your contribution will make future stories better. How'd you enjoy the story? Any ideas for future stories?)


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